Full text of "Living by the Spirit"

See other formats

This is a digital copy of a book that was preserved for generations on library shelves before it was carefully scanned by Google as part of a project
to make the world's books discoverable online.

It has survived long enough for the copyright to expire and the book to enter the public domain. A public domain book is one that was never subject
to copyright or whose legal copyright term has expired. Whether a book is in the public domain may vary country to country. Public domain books
are our gateways to the past, representing a wealth of history, culture and knowledge that's often difficult to discover.

Marks, notations and other marginalia present in the original volume will appear in this file - a reminder of this book's long journey from the
publisher to a library and finally to you.

Usage guidelines

Google is proud to partner with libraries to digitize public domain materials and make them widely accessible. Public domain books belong to the
public and we are merely their custodians. Nevertheless, this work is expensive, so in order to keep providing this resource, we have taken steps to
prevent abuse by commercial parties, including placing technical restrictions on automated querying.

We also ask that you:

+ Make non-commercial use of the files We designed Google Book Search for use by individuals, and we request that you use these files for
personal, non-commercial purposes.

+ Refrain from automated querying Do not send automated queries of any sort to Google's system: If you are conducting research on machine
translation, optical character recognition or other areas where access to a large amount of text is helpful, please contact us. We encourage the
use of public domain materials for these purposes and may be able to help.

+ Maintain attribution The Google "watermark" you see on each file is essential for informing people about this project and helping them find
additional materials through Google Book Search. Please do not remove it.

+ Keep it legal Whatever your use, remember that you are responsible for ensuring that what you are doing is legal. Do not assume that just
because we believe a book is in the public domain for users in the United States, that the work is also in the public domain for users in other
countries. Whether a book is still in copyright varies from country to country, and we can't offer guidance on whether any specific use of
any specific book is allowed. Please do not assume that a book's appearance in Google Book Search means it can be used in any manner
anywhere in the world. Copyright infringement liability can be quite severe.

About Google Book Search

Google's mission is to organize the world's information and to make it universally accessible and useful. Google Book Search helps readers
discover the world's books while helping authors and publishers reach new audiences. You can search through the full text of this book on the web

at |http : //books . google . com/

^C /',-^^

i:^a^.

HORATIO W. DRBSSER

Methods and Problems
of Spiritual Healing.

i6mo $i.oo

The Power of Silence.

i6mo $1.25

The Perfect Whole.

i6mo $1.25

Voices of Hope.

i6mo $1.25

In Search of a Soul.

i6mo $1.25

The Heart of It.

i6mo 75

Voices of Freedom.

i6mo $1.25

Living by the Spirit.

32mo 75

LIVING BY THE SPIRIT

BY
HORATIO W. DRESSER

AUTHOR OK " THE POWER OF SILENCE," ETC.

THIRD IMPRESSION

G. p. PUTNAM'S SONS
NEW YORK AND LONDON

^be Icniclierboclter pre^e
19CXJ

HORATIO WII.I.IS DRESSER

Entered in Stationers' Hall, I^ndon

By G. p. PUTNAM'S SONS

Ube 1tnicfcerl>ocfcer prest* lUw Vorft

PREFACE

THE purpose of this little book
is to simplify the problem
of life. Its aim is also to increase
the reader's knowledge of self, to
add to bis powers of helpfulness,
that through this added under-
standing of life and this greater
power of service he may be the
more ready to manifest the fulness
and beauty of the Spirit. The au-
thor has endeavored to be as clear
and practical as possible, to use sim-
ple language, and avoid all tech-
nical discussions. Yet the reader
should bear in mind that a con-
densed exposition of a theory of
conduct necessarily demands more
thought from its readers. Conse-
quently, the book should be read
only as rapidly as its leading ideas
are carefully considered and tested
by application to daily life.

It may seem audacious to under-
take to tell how one may live by
the Spirit. But there are certain

iii

Preface evidences which one may gather
by observation of those whose lives
are thus inspired. Help is gained
also by the study of natural law.
So far as possible, the author has
based his statements on the com-
monest facts of daily existence.
Even then he does not insist on his
particular theory of the spiritual
life. At best, a treatise like the
present one is a mere stepping-
stone to individual thought and
conduct, a helping hand by the
wayside. They live by the Spirit
who know that Spirit as it is per-
sonally perceived, as it illumines
each soul. The Father has a spe-
cial message for each which he will
declare to those who listen in peace,
in love and humility.

This book is not a compilation
of the author's larger volumes ; it
is a fresh statement written to meet
a constant demand for a simpler
treatise, one which shall voice the
spiritual essence of what to him is
the greatest truth of life. If it shall
quicken a deeper interest in the
wonders and beauties of the inner
life, its purpose will be fulfilled.

For it is there that the Spirit is Preface
found, there that one finds rest and
food for the soul — in the kingdom
of silence, the home of peace, of
hope, and freedom ; the starting-
point in all that is noblest in hu-
manity, the dominion of the Christ
ideal.

CONTENTS

CHAP.
I.

THB FOUNDATION .

PAGE
I

II.

THE METHOD

. 17

III.

THE SECRET .

• 32

IV.

THE DISCOVERY .

. 46

THE I^AW

. 56

VI.

The SPIRIT .

. 68

VII.

THE IDEAL .

. 78

vni.

THE I^IFE

. 89

Living by the Spirit

CHAPTER I

THS FOUNDATION

AN irresistible desire possesses
the human mind to master
the secret of life. The ideal is, of
course, differently conceived by
different persons. Some are gov
erned by selfish motives, while
others long to understand life's
mystery because of the greater good
they may do. Many desire only
material things ; others care naught
for the things that perish. Very
few are able to define the object of
their search ; still fewer recognize
the spiritual significance of life.

Yet in some form the desire
seizes all. It is either inspired by
love of power, by love of truth, or
art. There is either an ill-defined
restlessness, or a conscious ambi-

Living by tioii — a movement of some sort
the Spirit toward that which we do not pos-
sess. We are dissatisfied with our
surroundings and seek to better
theui. We are ever casting about
for new moorings, new compan-
ions, new interests. We are seek-
ing peace, happiness, rest. We are
hungry for a spiritual substance or
food which our Church no longer
gives. Our physician fails to find
it for us. Our favorite authors no
longer satisfy. Nor do we find the
peace we seek in any organization
or society.

The question arises. What shall
feed the soul ? How shall we solve
those problems which all teachers
and friends fail to solve for us?

In their solitude and longing,
many have turned to philosophy
for consolation. But in the works
of theologians and philosophers,
whose ponderous volumes one tries
to master, the problem of life is
made too complex. And so one
turns away from these to a simple
study of life itself.

In truth, life is simple. It must
be simply interpreted. Even the

little child knows those laws, the The
understanding and obedience to Foundation
which lie at the basis of the pro-
foundest systems of conduct. Our
fault is that we look afar, when the
meaning of life is clearly revealed
before our eyes.

Let us therefore begin by noting
some of the plainest facts of life as
it passes before us, while we sit by
the window and look out over the
great throbbing world.

What is life, and who are we that
live it ?

Life is just this passing experi-
ence, as we awaken each day, look
out at the trees and sky, converse
with men, and earn our daily
bread. Never mind the fact now
that it is difficult for many to earn
their daily bread. Life is a passing
panorama which sweeps by us,
whether we are rich or poor. In
the general sense in which we are
at present considering it, it is inde-
pendent of particular struggles,
of either favorable or unfavorable
conditions.

We sit by the window and ob-
serve the great drama, amused by

Living by the people who pass, and filled
the Spirit ^j^h speculative wonder concern-
ing the life they lead, what social
position^ they hold, and whether
or not they live happily at home.
It is a motley assembly, — the
stream of events and people which
we call life, — now comical, now
pathetic, now passing us indififer-
ently by, now arousing our deepest
concern. We laugh, mourn, and
sympathize as we gaze. We fret
and nod ; we grow impatient or
rejoice.

Yet amid all this interchange,
incongruity, and amusement there
appears after a time an undercur-
rent of truly philosophic thought
about it. Our minds select strik-
ing details, as the artist seizes the
objects which are to be grouped
in his picture. The mind tries to
reproduce, picture, or think about
all things congruously, logically,
rationally. Philosophic thought is
at first like a child at play, trying
to fit together the parts of a geo-
graphical puzzle, an artist joining
bits of mosaic.
Thought does not create ; it

rathe r discovers. It observes the The
relati onship of things. Foundation

SmTso the truth about life is not
a creation. It is not abstract. Nor
does the ability to think systemat-
ically about it mean that one shall
have mastered great words, many-
lettered and proud. Nor need one
study the parched leaves of some
vast treatise on logic.

Living logic is the true logic.
That is learned by observing the
course of nature, the march of his-
tory, the flow of the great stream
of consciousness within us, the tide
which sets in from the ocean of be-
ginnings to the promised land of
supreme accomplishment.

Therefore, as we sit by the win-
dow of life and philosophize, not-
ing the close connection between
certain traits of character and cer-
tain modes of living, or discover-
ing why some are happy and some
are sad, we gather the fragments
of that living mosaic which our
minds know how to fit into the
great philosophic picture of life.

In order to realize the depth and
meaning of this kind of thinking,

Livinir by let US consider for a moment under
the Spirit ^hat circumstances conversation
with another does each the most
good. It is when the two converse
on terms of entire equality. There
must first be desire to know, hu-
mility, readiness to listen ; and,
second, desire to impart, with that
gentle deference which ever char-
acterizes true wisdom and opens the
cfoor for communion of heart with
Heart. In this spirit, the least may
give to the greatest, and the great-
est impart some measure of truth
to the least.

Thought quickened by love is
the great incentive to progress.
For thought alone may lead to cold
exclusiveness, to the feeling that
one is right while others are wrong ;
and love alone may be mere attach-
ment to what is old. But love
united with thought grows side
by side with it to maturity — two
halves of the perfect whole.

Therefore we must be true to
both sides of our nature. Let the
calmness of your meditation be
that of the thinker, its spirit that
of natural, normal human life, that

we may avoid both the stern frigid- The
ity of the savant and the excessive Foundation
ecstasy of the saint. <

The unthinking person glances
for a moment, is pleased with an
idea, and thereupon becomes con-
vinced. He accepts a ready-made
belief or religious creed because he
likes it, because he is urged, or be-
cause it appeals to his emotions.
But the thinker is not content sim-
ply to say, *' I feel " ; he wishes also
to say,'* I know." His life is greatly
enriched by studying the details of
things, by seeking causes, analyz-
ing to discover laws, and thinking
to find reasons. The unthinking
man is impetuous, easily led, emo-
tional, lacking in poise. So far as
the thinker has rationalized life's
problem, he has a basis of convic-
tion, he is moderate, self-con-
trolled, thorough in all things.

Thus from the point of view of
those who think, alljife is a con-
tinual disc<urery . life is ever be-
fore us. It awaits the quickening
of the mind to interpret it.

Out of the confused mass which
constitutes life in infancy, the

Living by awakening self first begins to no-

the Spirit ^{^^ objects outside of itself, then

discovers that it is a self, something

that is different from the objects

moving about it.

Our entire human life is simply
a development of this relationship.
It is knowledge of things, persons,
and selves in relation to the self
that observes, feels, acts, and
thinks. All experiences refer pri-
marily to their relation with the
self, the observer. It is I who feel,
I who act, I who possess ideals. I
cannot feel for another. At best I
can have only a similar experience,
of which each of us judges as the
personal self regards it. I have a
little world which surrounds and
enlarges from myself, as a centre
of personal emotion and thought.
Here is the central principle. In
all my endeavors to solve life's
problem I must remember the per-
sonal equation. Without my per-
sonal self or mind no experience is
possible. Without my personal
thought about life, as I observe
and live it, no experience is in-
telligible. It is by building up

knowledge of self, from the time The

the infant first learns that he is a Foundation
separate self, that all understand-
ing of life is gained.

We have, then, two factors on^
o urli"an'ds, ^the perceiving selfand
the world perceived. The desidr
eratum is to develop to the full our .
■ kB<5wredge of l)oth.

Aj5 acquaintance" with objects out-
side of uj comes before we learn
much about self, let us continue to
give attention to the world which
environs us as we gaze from our
windows.

One of the first discoveries made
by the child is that things happen
in the world which he cannot con-
trol. If he strikes against the
table, it invariably hurts. If he
puts his hand in the fire, he can-
not escape a burn . He thus early
learns to associate certain eflfects
with certain causes. Some effects
are pleasurable, some are painful.
He wishes to increase the one and
avoid the other. He must there-
fore depend upon himself, upon
knowledge gained from experi-
ence, and caution in regard to new

Living by experiences. Here is the basis of
the Spirit his lifelong adjustment to the
world.

"> IvHw is universal, absolute.
' Every effect has a cause.

As we sow, we reap.
. Here are the simple facts of life.
No striving, no eflFort of will or
thought, can escape them. Man
has only to understand and make
use of them universally in order
to regulate his entire life.

He must first have as wide an
acquaintance as possible with the
forces of the universe, so that, as
in the case of fire, he may make
use of or avoid them. He must
next know the resources of his
own reaction upon or adjustment
to these forces, that his relation-
ship with them may be productive
of the greatest amount of happi-
ness, health, peace, truth, beauty,
and service.

Man is a centre of forces, acting
upon him from outside and stirring
him from within. In a measure,
he is made by these forces. To a
certain degree he moulds and uses
them. But, however these forces

be regarde<1, the centre where they The

"are ielt, Where they are resisted or Foundation
regiiTiff ed; ■ is within: that is, it
"springs from his individual life in
eVery case.

The child observes that fire
burns. It learns the source of the
heat, and that by withdrawing the
hand it can avoid the pain. All
this is a product of thought. It is
by taking thought that he avoids
pain. It is by reaching a mental
decision that he is able to with-
draw his hand, and thereafter avoid
the fire. Thought is the decisive
factor by which we regulate life,
so far as it comes within the prov-
ince of the will. Our entire edu-
cation, our entire experience, is a
development of thought.

Thus far all is perfectly plain.
But these principles, so clear in
regard to the simple illustrations
from childhood, are apt to be for-
gotten the moment life becomes
more complex.

We forge t that we are not merely
observers at the window of life, but
also participants. We forget that
the law of action and reaction, of

Living by sowing and reaping, Ji£pljes not

the Spirit merely to putting the hand into the

' ) Tire, but to the thoughts we think,

; "the spirit with which we send out

, ' [thought into the world.

Yet here again it is the little child
which shall lead us. No one re-
sponds so quickly as the little child,
if approached in the spirit of love.
In our heart of hearts we know that
we could create a far more beauti-
ful world for the child if we would
always choose the loving thought.
A little thinking also shows us
that the deeds of kindness we do
are effective in proportion to the
love we put into them.

More depends upon the motive
than upon the gift.

If the thought be selfish, if we ex-
pect compensation, or are guilty of
close calculation, the result will be
like the attitude of mind which in-
vited it.

" We who hold
Some glimmer of the Eternal, hold

the keys
Of grander or of meaner, with our

thought
Uplifting or debasing."

If some one uses abusive Ian- " The
guage and ill-treats us so that we I'ound^tion
reply angrily, then suflFer a nerv-
ous or emotional reaction, we are
inclined to blame the one who has
abused us, once more forgetting
that action and reaction are equal.
Yet it is in our power to avoid all
this, as the child avoids the fire,
by taking thought, and so giving
our forces another turn.

Again, if we sit in a draught and
take cold, we insist that the cold
air is the cause. But another per-
son sitting in the same draught
does not catch cold, because there
is no superfluous heat in the body
to invite it, because he has accus-
tomed himself to enjoy the fresh,
pure air without fear that it is con-
taminated.

We complain that this is a nerv-
ous, hurrying age. We find our-
selves stricken with nervous pros-
tration, dyspepsia, heart trouble,
and the like, and consult a physi-
cian, in the belief that we have
caught some disease. Yet it is our
habit of life that is primarily at
fault. We could change it all if we

LiviniT by would. But we are proud, and must
the Spirit keep up with our fellows. Money-
making is an enticing game, which
we enter with a rush. Thus we be-
come slaves of our own selfish im-
pulses.

All this results from our decision
to participate in life's headlong
strife. No one need suflfer these
ills who lives moderately. The
cure for nervous diseases is not to
take medicine, but to change the
life, build new habits, master self
and the forces which self controls,
and so remove the nervous strain.
Like the experience of the child
with fire, it is purely a matter of
individual control.

If our servitude to nervous ten-
sion be a habit of lifelong standing,
it must be undermined by long and
patient endeavor to build ourselves
anew. Action and reaction are still
equal : every effort tells.

If we live in an attitude of ap-
prehensiveness, of self-absorption,
or hatred, we must continually
reap as we perpetually sow. No
religious or medical remedy pos-
sesses the power to spare us the

consequences. It is futile to be- The

seech, futile to apply external Foundation
remedies. The cause must first be
removed, and it nmst be removed
by the one who reared it. The only
permanent remedy is self-under-
standing and self-development.

For our entire external life is reg- )
ulated by the attitudes we assume '■
within, by our decisions, our mo- .
tives, or our spirit.

It is the spirit, the intent with
which we act, which regulates the
subsequent effect upon us.

Kindness, for example, is a uni-
versal language to which all re-
spond. Every one, everywhere, re-
members those who were kind.

Both man and child quickly de-
tect hatred, and turn aside.

Confidence wins its way.

Distrust is met with distrust.

Meanness instantly imprisons
the soul, while liberality prepares
the way for a nobler and richer
life.

^ Consequently, the starting-point ^
in all endeavor to solve either our
individual problem, or the problem
of the universe as a whole, is to

i^iving by form a babit of tbinkiug about
the Spirit eveuts aud things, diseases and
struggles, in the light of their ori-
gin, their obedience to the deci-
sive, directive power of thought.

CHAPTER II

„.^... y

HAVE you ever realized, as you
sat by the window looking
out over the landscape, how large a
percentage of the objects which you
behold are made intelligible by
what you have read and thought,
by what your understanding tells
you ?

The entire past history of the
rocks, trees, clouds, animals, men,
out there before you, is mental ; it
is called forth from the realm of
memory. Your judgment of dis-
tance is solely due to the memory
of past experience, which has
taught you what things are near,
what objects are far.

How little the world would mean
to you, were your consciousness of
it limited to the mere feeling of a
given moment !

Living by What a marvellous work has been

the Spirit wrought by the human mind, — the

wresting of the history of nature

from the rude fragments of past

ages !

What we see from the window de-
pends upon the intelligence which
looks forth. The entire progress
of life is the development of the
mind, from the crude stage where
the infant reaches indiscriminately
for the moon or for a toy, with no
idea of distance, to the time when
we shall at last eliminate the final
vestiges of superstition, and behold
nature as it really is.

Thus we trace a gradual evolu-
tion from the crudest feeling to the
sublimest spiritual insight, which
embodies all the treasures of our
complex consciousness.

The proper training of these ten-
dencies of consciousness enables
the mind so to control them that it
may at will transcend the rushing
thought of daily life and enter the
solitudes of the Spirit as one might
seek the isolation of the forest.

But when one undertakes this
higher development, one realizes

with renewed emphasis what a The

depth of meaning there is in the Method
saying that " man is a creature of
habits."

Not merely have the affairs of
daily life become matters of habit,
but our general attitudes toward
life, and our methods of thinking,
even religion and the ceremonies
by which we adhere to it. Ordi-
narily we are as little conscious of*
our bondaige to^habif as we are un-
aware of_ the fact that our life is
largely an affair of thought — that
IS, understood and regulated by
thought.

We have unwittingly accustomed
ourselves to fear disease, apprehend
misfortune and the approach of
death. The entire conventional
theory of disease and its cure is a
habit so deeply rooted that people
unconsciously deal with pain in all
its forms as though it arose solely
from an external cause.

Whenever we meet an unusual ex- '
perience, the first tendency is to act
in accordance with some habit, to
rush impulsively into an emotional
state, or arrive at a hasty decision.

Living by We are largely governed by prece-

the Spirit dent, by ancestral tradition, or by

conventional authority. Through

ages we have accustomed ourselves

to certain limited lines of conduct,

and it is but seldom that any one

possesses the courage or originality

to experiment in new directions.

We are in bondage to custom to

such an extent that nothing short

; of a process of coming to judgment

j persistently carried on for years

i suffices to awaken us.

We are not only creatures of men-
tal habit, but slaves of impulse, of
the flesh, to an extent which no one
dreams of until he begins the great
task of becoming self- masterful.
Truly, man has advanced but a lit-
tle way. He is evolving. There is
every reason to be hopeful. At the
same time it is well to recognize
what he must accomplish in order
to free the soul.

It is difficult to say precisely the
word which shall arouse this self-
revelation . This deeper conscious-
ness is apt to begin when the mind
really begins to philosophize, to
inquire into the meaning of life.

When people have won their free-
dom in some measure, they exclaim
with suggestive emphasis, ' * What a
slave I have been ! How I have
been ruled by fear, by * the correct
thing,* by conventionality and tra-
dition ! And how disloyal to my
true self, to the powers of creative
thought!"

Sometimes the revelation begins
with the discovery that one is sac-
rificing individuality to the dictates
of another mind. Or, one learns
that one's appetites have been mas-
ters, not servants. Some discover
it first in regard to religion : they
find that all their lives they have
believed, or tried to believe, in a
man-like God whom they really
hated, in a doctrine of salvation,
sin, and a future state with which
they really had no sympathy.

But this self-revelation is more
apt to begin with the discovery of .
what a slave one has been to fear, ;
and the discords and troubles which .'
it invites. One is astonished to
learn that one's whole life has been
hedged about by the fear of taking
cold or catching some contagious

The
Method

Living by . disease, by fears in regard to
the Spirit certain articles of food, loss of
property, accident, and the like.
However the revelation begins,
when once started, the soul makes
a thorough investigation into all
its habits, desires, beliefs, and im-
\ pulses.

The discovery of the soul's bond-
' age is valuable from two points of
view : it shows how our attitude,
our thought or spirit, influences
daily life and the body ; and it
shows how, by taking thought, by
building new habits, one may
change the entire aspect of life,
improve the health, increase one's
happiness and power of service.

In the foregoing chapter we have
seen that all our activities are regu-
lated by the discoveries and de-
cisions of individual thought, gov-
erned by the law of cause and
eff*ect. And we have noted that to
understand ourselves and our ills
we must study them in the light
of their origin, their relation to
our mental attitudes.

Here is an opportunity to free
the soul, — by understanding and

mastering habit, then by evolving The
new habits which shall serve, not Method

govern, us .

How are habits formed ? By first
taking thought, through ideals, de-
sires, fixed determinations.

The little child sees its elders
walking and desires to imitate
them. The entire lifelong habit
of walking thus begins in the
mental world, in a desire or atti-
tude of mind.

The desire to walk is soon fol-
lowed by efforts to imitate, by par-
tial failure, repeated endeavor, and
ultimate success.

Although the physical organism
is adapted to walking, a certain
amount of resistance must be over-
come before the body begins to
3deld and respond. It is not
enough simply toj^esire, to will or
"affirm. The body must be trained \
to respond to the mind. Once con-
sciously put through the motions a
sufficient number of times to make
a lasting impression, to wear a chan-
nel in the brain, it acquires the
habit, which is henceforth largely
involuntary or subconscious. . .

Living by This is a most important point.

the Spirit i^ is jjQt sufficient simply to affirm

iHat we will be true, or kind, or

spiritual. We have the resistance

"of all our past, the inertia of cus-"

torn and selfishness, to overcome.

' We must make an effort to realize

the ideal— we must act, turn the

■ current of life into a new channel.

The process of action, like the
effort to walk, is of course an
application of power directed by
thought and set free by will. But
it is force which accomplishes that
^ which thought has chosen .

For we have already noted that
man is a centre of forces. He is
played upon by the forces of na-
ture, by changes in the weather,
by emotions, the influences, loves,
hatreds, and winning powers of his
fellows. The young man or wo-
man who is infatuated, the sensi-
tive man who is swayed by those
who are stronger, and all who are
won over by pressure in any of its
forms, are mastered by power, by
impulse or emotion, even before
they are captivated by thought.

The power of those lives which

are inspired by the Spirit consists .' The
more in their attitude as centres of | M«^*>o<l
well-poised spiritual power than in \
their thought. For many have beau- '
tiful thoughts ; many people incul- I
cate beautiful theories whose lives
are without influence. It is when :
the peace and love of God have en- I
tered the li/e, become the motive ;
factors of one*s very existence, that \
they touch other lives, quickening '
and inspiring them, even though . \
no word be spoken. I

Thought is often superficial, in- ,
sincere. It may pass by as a mere '■
good intention, or as a procrasti-
nating hope. It is action, conduct,
that is fundamental. It is when we
work, when we do something, that
r^ults are forthcoming.
^ The entire problem of self-mas-
tery and the attainment of health,
purity, and spirituality is therefore
a question of understanding and
wisely directing the forces that play
uponusTor arise from within.

Suppose, for example, that I be-
come aware of the fact that I am a
slave to the habit of nervous hurry.
I find myself rushing when I walk,

Living by pluuging forward when I talk, or
the Spirit eating my dinner as if I bad but a
few moments to live. I desire to
live by the Spirit, and believe that
I must begin by controlling the
body.

I first send out my thought in
this direction, I form the ideal.
Then, realizing that it is not enough
simply to think or to hold the ideal,
I take myself iu the very act of hur-
rying, I shut oflF steam, as it were,
pause for a moment. By so doing,
I store away energy. I take hold
of myself, assume control of my
forces where, before, they swept
all before them.

I begin my new mode of life by
taking each step consciously, at
; first ; by speaking, walking, or writ-

^1 ing very deliberately^ by moving

about so as to observe the law of
economy in the expenditure of
force.

In other words, I put my mind
on what I am doing. I apply all
the powers of thought, that I may
discover the lines of least resist-
ance, the method of working by
which I shall not only do my work

well, but spend my energy to the The

best advantage, with the least fric- Method
tion and nervous tension. , '

When I have thus drilled myself i;
— it requires much persistence and I
thought — I again permit my walk- i ,
ing, speaking, or writing to become ; \
matter of habit : this time a poised, j j
reposefid habit. ' j

After a vigorous impulse has been ,
given in the new direction, fol-
lowed by constant vigilance and ■
thought, the organism tends to > ;
obey the new habit.

This is a principle of incompar- "
able value. Our entire life, so far
as man has made it, is the product
of ideals carried into action and
made habitual. Consciously or un-
consciously, man has raised him-
self to higher and higher planes by
the power of his habitual thought
and conduct. It is for us, if we will,
to understand the process better,
and so lift ourselves to a yet higher
plane. Let us, therefore, examine
the process still more minutely.

The child's first desire to imi-
tate its elders, when it sees them
walking, is made effective and is

Living by regulated by the law of attention.

the Spirit 'pijg mind attends where it is inter-
ested. All our mental discoveries
begiu in this way, all our moods are
governed by this law. Our moods,
thoughts, and emotions continue
in mind only while the attention
or interest is sufficient to hold
them.

Attention may be compelled, it is
true ; for example, by violent emo-
tion, by pain, or the influence of
another mind. But, ordinarily, our
states of mind are ruled by the at-
tention which we shift or concen-
trate, at will. Therefore, in order
to acquire a habit, we must begin
by centring our attention or inter-
est upon the ideal until it shall have
made sufficient impression upon
the organism to modify th^ life, to
express itself in action.

At the same time, it is important
to note that the subconscious mind,
that part of us which lies below
the threshold of our more active
thoughts, tends to carry out the
ideals or directions impressed upon
it.

The child becomes aware of and

clings to the desire to walk be- The
cause his atteution or interest is, Method
for the time being, absorbed or
centred upon one object. Inter-
ested attention is thus the starting-
point round which the forces of
mind and body tend to gather,
thence to carry out the bidding
of the will.

That the persistence of interest
is the secret is proved by the fact
that we take great pains to win the
attention of both young and old,
and by the fact that we remember
only what engages our attention.
When the interest lags, we neither
remember nor bear away any defi-
nite result. The instant one*s at-
tention is turned from a painful
sensation, the discomfort begins to
decrease. The entire process of
discovering what lies about us,
when we philosophize, is first
dependent u|>on what attracts our
attention, then upon the continued
interest it arouses when the objects
about us have become subjects of
thought.

If, as some afl&rm, we were merely
living a life of thought, it would be

Living by sufficient simply to think. Bu
the Spirit js a la^ of jifg tijat^ gs action ;

reaction are equal, all things cc
through work, just as we t
ourselves in the very act of ri
ing and compel the body to m
moderately.

The will commands a gre?
force than the physical power j
so performs its work. oBy tak
thought, paying persistent att
tion, then making a move tow
the object of our desire, just as
child starts to walk, we put
superior power in motion. It
thus that the mind rules the bo
' It is thus that thought is transla
into deed.

Yet as great as is the power
will, our volitions become ph;
cally expressed only through e
lution or gradual change. The y
makes the choice and effort ;
does not dictate the law of real:
I i , tion or growth.

The development of a habit :
growth, just as the plant grc
from a seed. The ideal or des
corresponds to the seed. 1
will or volitional attention is

vitality which gives the ideal suffi-
cient power to grow. The subcon-
scious mind is the soil into which
the ideal is sown when we dismiss
it from consciousness and turn the
attention elsewhere. The laws of
growth, whereby the ideal sub-
consciously matures, are the princi-
ples of development in the universe
at large.

Consequently, we must have ^.
patience, remembering that there /
*ls"resistance to be overcome, that ]
tKe physical organism responds :
"^inore slowly than the mind,
■"^f the process seems long, if
regeneration ensues, remember the
law. Do not misunderstand the pro-
cesses of transformation by which
the lower nature is evolved or trans-
muted into the higher.

Trust the subconscious mind.
Hold firm in your faith, and think
not so much of the process as of
the outcome. For it is primarily
our thoughts that make us, our
ideals, the spirit or mental attitude
in which we approach the world.

The
Method

CHAPTER III
TH« SECRET

IN the light of the foregoing
chapter, it is clear that if man
is to control his forces, attain self-
mastery, and live by the Spirit, he
must cultivate the habit of repose.
There must be a calm centre, a
peaceful point of view, where he
may take his stand, discriminate
between lower and higher prompt-
ings, and rule all impulses and
influences.

It is because we have no poiiit_
of resistance that we are swept on
by the nervous, hurrying stream.
"We have not found our' centre.
We know not what it is to pause
and meditate. We are unaware of
the value of spiritual peace ._

It needs no argument, however,
to show the power of inward re-
pose. A moment's thought assures

us of the superiority of the man of The
reserve power. Secret

It is possible^for everx one to de- \
veiop a deep centra of Spiritual re- \
serve. We have noted that simply j
* to pause for a moment, and let the I
rushing tide of forces surge on /
without us, is to increase our store. /

By holding still at the centre,
there is much less expenditure of
energy. One immediately feels
the power accumulating. There
is a quick response in the nerves
and in the circulation, particularly
if the tension is very great when
the process begins. The body has
opportunity to enjoy its life before
the life is exhausted. There is as-
similatiop of-JlQwer instead of a
wasting of it.

This physical response is the
result of a calm, commanding
thought, such as, *' Peace, be still !'*
The repose begins within and
works outward. It is first spirit-
ual, then physical.

One may cultivate the habit of
repose by pausing many times a
day, in the midst of the greatest
activitv. After a time this inner

Living by repose will affect the entire 1
the Spirit xhe voice will be fuller and ricl
The breathing will be deeper, j
the body generally stronger.

But my chief reason for emp

sizing the need of this deep cet

of reserve and poise, is its value

. the starting-point of greater spi

I j ual attainments. When one

I ■ gained control of the lower nati

established new habits, and foi

j^ this deep centre, there will be an

/ stinctive tendency to seek it wh

[ ■ ever any new experience arii

t One will pause to ask, Whal

j wisest ? Shall I obey this pron

I ing or disregard it ? What is

higher law ? What says the Spi

And so one will learn from p:

^ tical experience that the soul

* master anything, even passion ;

selfishness, and the greatest p

sure brought to bear upon us

dominating minds. For no po

. can resist the Spirit. "In qu

ness and confidence shall be y

strength."

Selfishness is largely an impi
or habit, which we follow ignorai
through absence of self-cent

We are sdfiah because of lack of I
thought. If we have repose we .
will think.

By the development of self- |
domiuioi] and a more acute self-
scrutiny, we may sei^e in the bud |
all that is unholy and selfish, and
turn the thought into a purer
direction.

When the first prompting coraes,^
pause and e:s:a mine— not witb mor-
bid couscienLiousness, but in the
light of the highest ideals of the
Spirit. Remember that idcgs have
life, that they grow in proportion
as we give them our attention or
volitional assent. Therefore one
must be ever on the alert.

All states of mind are readily
controlled if seized in their incep-
tive stages. The tiny seed or tendril
is easily crushed ; it is the tree that
is hard to fell.

The moment a selfish moving
seizes the mind, give the impulse
another turn. If a fear arises, face
it on the spot and dispel it. If you
are tempted to be angry, pause for
"a^moraent and still the rising
activities.

Living by \ Deal in the same way with im-
the Spirit j patience, the tendency to be au-
■noyed, resentful, discouraged, or
i depressed. Remember that if you
> spare yourself these useless ex-
Ipenditures of force, you husband
land increase your energy. For
bur greater power comes through
victory, transmutation.

Another way to arrest wrong
states of mind and harmful ex-
penditures of force, is suggested
by the fact that all emotiona l state s'
which shut one into self produce
/distressing results. Desirable states
joT mind are expansive, outgoing,' *
{uplifting, hopeful. Morbid and
,' depressing states are always caused
i or accompanied by an ingoing

• thought of self.

• The control of our ingoing state s
and the cultivation of the out-
going, or, in other words, the

' development of optimism instead
; of pessimism, is therefore one of
. the secrets of progress, and our
I knowledtje of these contra^d
' states must be so acute that. we
shall readily detect the diflference.
On the positive, outgoing side

are to be classed all the virtues,
trust, patience, hope, love, service,
the search for the good, and the
doing of good. .

To the ingoing half belong all !
our petty annoyances, our servi- !
tudes, cares, fears, anxieties, our I
painful consciousness of self, our \
despondency, want of balance, and ,
restlessness. I

When the mind is in the out- 1
going attitude, we are balanced,!
'poised, adjusted to the forward!
pulse of life. I

The attitude of sel f is fundamen-.
tal. All is traceable to that. All
mayTbe regulateS by that.

Th erefore, see k first poise, the
spiritu al cejatr e, that you may have
^^ po wer to rever se the machinery
"each time the mind is turned in the
wrong direction. All else shall
follow from thi s. This is the king-
dom of heave n or spiritual power,
^he home of creative thought,
where the real master resides. »
"^Remember that you are first of ;
all a spiritual being, a soul. The
mind is only the instrument of
expression by which you manifest

The
Secret

Living by • yourself through the body. The
the Spirit j^ind is not you. The body is

not you. These reveal you and

i reveal the world to you. There -

\ fore, think within yourself until

^ you find yourself a living soul.

i Remember that our life is ulti-

; mately regulated by our highest

thought ; therefore trust while the

outer is becoming adjusted to the

inner.

Remember that this highest
. thought is strengthened by the
♦ will we put into it, the attention we

give it, and the activity which is

inspired by it.

If you know not what to do,

pause and wait, in silence, in
; peace and confidence. The higher

prompting makes itself known

when there is receptivity, when
. the attention is less absorbed in
i the cares aud sensations of daily
; life. For it is clear that if one is

to realize the full significance of

these calm moments of receptivity,

if one is to sound the depths of
■ spiritual repose, one must advance

far beyond mere self-examination
I or repose in self.

Mere self-study, or introspection,^ The
like the old theology, is gloomy, I Secret
depressing : spiritual meditation of j
the right sort is joyful, uplifting, j
outgoing ; it is soul communion in )
the kingdom of the omnipresent '
Spirit, the heaven of peace, of '
divine love and beauty.

If you find this world of peace
and love, where all souls are equal,
you will be free, you will rise above
your mere self, and look down upon
it as it were from the loftier height
of spiritual intuition. Moreover,
5'ou will feel a spirit of reverence,
of worship, of calm humility. You
will look up as if to receive the
divine blessing, then bow your
head in thankfulness that all this
joy, this beauty, this peace is for
you.

This it is to feel the divine pres-
ence, this it is to possess, to be
comforted and inspired by, the
thing itself, the reality, as opposed
to mere theories, mere talk about
it. You may know that you really
feel what I am but half describing
when you are conscious of this
change of attitude resulting from

Living by actual contact with the supericr
the Spirit presence.

Again, this experience in the si-
lence is illustrated by the restful
solitude of nature. Sometimes,
after one has left the last clearing,
where all railroads, towns, and
houses are miles away, one dis-
covers a region in the forest where
one may ** hear the silence.** This
is the sort of solitude I mean, when
one really lives with nature.

Can one attain such solitude amid
the complexities of a great city ? In
a measure, yes. One could not en-
joy it in the forest unless one had
attained it within. When seeking
it in the city, therefore, command
the same attitude of listening enjoy-
ment which invites it in the forest.

Observe for a time, without
thinking. A forgotten duty occurs
to mind. Decide when you "will
fulfil it, and dismiss it. An un-
pleasant sensation intrudes. Re-
gard it with serenity and let it
enjoy itself, alone, in the outskirts
of your consciousness.

If the nerves are tense in some
portion of your body, remove the

tension by reclining easily, rest- The
fully ; saying to yourself, " Peace, Secret
be still ! "

If noises from without disturb
you, hear them without being dis-
turbed.

We should not expect to attain
serenity in a moment. When one
seeks it in downright earnestness,
one is astonished at the number of
obstacles that must be removed.

What a strained, nervous, hurry- »
ing, intense life we lead ! And '
what profits it all ? Why not elim- '
inate a thousand fears, anxieties, ■
plans, conceits, and undertakings |
pursued for pride*s sake only, and i
live happier with the rest ?

Half the people one meets in so-
ciety seem to confess by the way
they live that the day is arranged
to avoid the ennui of existence, yet
is made the greater bore by the
mere endeavor to escape from its
real meaning.

It is no wonder that under such
conditions people find it difficult to
realize the simplicity of the Spirit.
Only a certain amount of time is
apportioned to spiritual thought.

Living by and the consciousness that the med-
the Spirit jtation must end at an appointed
time is of itself sufficient to defeat
the object.

But let us suppose that, after
many trials, you and I have really
entered the silent primitive forest,
and found such stillness that we
are as unconcerned as a child at
play.

Why not play occasionally?
Why this dread seriousness and
sense of old age ? Is there any-
thing undignified in drawing fig-
ures on the sand, cutting new
channels for a tiny stream, or mak-
ing men out of snow ?

This innocence, unconcern, spon-
taneity, youthfulness, is another
name for the solitude of which I
speak. It is the return to nature,
the process of recreation or re-
newal.

When one steps into the solitude
one passes from time to eternity,
where there is no age, neither be-
ginning nor ending, sorrow nor
strife — simply existence, peaceful,
restful, calm, and free.

Therefore, the starting-point is

serenity. As you sit there by the The
window of life, let no wrinkle fur- Secret
row your brow. Calmly observe,
though before your uiind should
pass sensations of the most in-
tensely discomforting nature.
Wait, with the patience of one who
is content to let Nature complete
her task though it require a million
years.

What profits all this despond-
ency, fear, anxiety, condemnation,
and complaint? '

Ask what Nature is trying to do,
how she is setting about to accom-
plish it, and what she is likely to
encounter ere her ideal be realized.

Settle yourself into an easy, I
peaceful adjustment to the creative !
rhythm, the march of events, the ;
flow of time.

Half our aches and pains are due *
to our opposition to Nature*s reme-
dial power.

The other half are due to excess,
fear, and nervousness.

What peace falls upon us, how
the soul is soothed, as we penetrate
farther into the spiritual solitude,
breathing the fresh, invigorating

Living by atmosphere of the world that never
the Spirit J^gg5^ feeling the thrill of the heart
that never grows old !

What beanty resides at the centre
of things, what order, system !
While the great machinery of life
goes on throughout the vast sphere,
here at the starting-point of all is
peace, here unending harmony
abides, a repose which no calamity
can disturb. Storms may blow,
terrible accidents may happen,
wars may be fought, and earth-
quakes shake the face of things.
But still the universe moves for-
ward, the pulse of life never stops,
the centre remains unhurt.

What a lesson this discovery
teaches us, what a possibility it
suggests — the regulation of our
lives as the life of the universe is
regulated.

Here, surely, is the essence of
practical wisdom, the secret of all
evolution into the spiritual life.
To the degree that one attains this
poise one may be oblivious of
tne processes of growth. For this
spiritual self-mastery is itself the
habit, the outgoing attitude, the

and coo cent ration which we have
been coiisideriog. All these are
means to this one end which, when
attain edp itself becomes a means to
the higher end whose ideals the
Spirit knows. It is centrality,
nnity, consistency. It is harnioay,
love, power, the silence of the
primitive forest regained, the re-
covery of spontaneity, the genuiae
a^d complete dedication of self to
the purposes of God.

CHAPTER IV
THE DISCOVERY

A GRAND discovery awaits the
mind when it realizes the
full significance of the principles
which we have considered in the
preceding chapters. The law
whereby we control and direct our
forces from within is the law of
evolution in the universe at large,
the method by which the entire
world was made. All growth
springs from the indwelling life,
at first active at a point, in the
centre or seed, then expanding to
the circumference. It is the in-
visible involution, or creative en-
ergy of the higher Power, which
causes the visible evolution, or
progressive growth.

Thus the growth of our ideas
through the various stages of
thought, choice, effort,and physical

expressiou, gives the clue to world

growth and universal evolution.

The part played by our decisive
thought corresponds to the crea-
tive activity of the supreme Spirit.
The mind first gathers itself at a
point. Like the child observing
its elders walking and talking, the
mind seizes upon an idea which it
desires to realize. It becomes in- 1
terested, absorbed, it pays atten- j
tioD, concentrates or focuses upon a \
single thought; then issues the half- {
subconscious command : Let this be {
realized. The external expression |
bears the image and likeness of i
the creative thought. The mind de- »
clares the result * * good * ' or * ' bad, ' * '
according to the degree of spiritual
consciousness it has attained.

If our standards are high, if we
have attained some measure of in-
ner peace and poise, the thought is
freighted with a calmer and there-
fore greater power. It carries, it is
effective, in proportion to its life.
It is doubly powerful if it carries
ilie Spirit with it, if it is a thought
of love, outgoing and unselfish.

The discovery that our powers of

The
Discovery

Living by thou ght are powers of univejgal

the Spirit evolution ^naturally bringsjwithjt

iTBeigEtened sense of responsibil-

iT}', the realizatiou CBal aTxeineni^r-

ous opportunity is putl&iefbre usT^

I t app eals to the miud.wit)tuie.w
emphasis that as we sow^ we reap ;
'that by taking thought, and pos-
sessing sufficient self-c.oulC0L...^Ee^
"may turn all our act ivities from
the disease-making, selfish.^^di£g<>~'
tion to the health-bringing, altru-
~istic direction. "^

All evolution, that is, all growth,
has proceeded by this same law —
the gradual change from lower to
higher, from selfish to unselfish.
The changes which are even now
taking place in your mind and
mine, in your life and mine, are as
important as the processes whereby
the entire physical world was
created.

Creation means gradual trans-
formation from lower to higher.
It proceeds by almost insensible
degrees, as the immanent Spirit
moves upon it from within.

This discovery brings new jn -
sight into the meaning of life.

The purpose of our exislcnce is
evidently spirituaT perfection, the
attainment of the beautiful, ex-
alted life of Ibe Christ* We are
iicjt always to \tc. creatures of habit*
aurl (he rte^^h. We are to be mas-
ters, creators, Men.

It was not without purpose that
we were left in ignorance and
darkness, to struggle and suffer, to
learn the laws of life by disobedi-
ence to them, as the child discov-
ers the painful nature of fire by
burning its hancL For it is only
by personal experience that we
know, only throuj^h contest that
we grow strong, only through con-
tact with passion, hatred, and
selfishness that we learn by con-
trast the beauty of tenderness, and
the unselfish devotion of the
Christ.

All these experieaces have a
meaning. All these lower planes,
where we w^ere immersed in ipnoi-
ance, with all the paia and sorrow
which ij^norance involves, all the
wrong-doing and animalism, are
secondary » evolutionary. It is on
these planes that we store away

The
Disco very

Living by experience, accumulate material
the Spirit for thought and the growth of
character.

When we begin to think, to
search for laws, causes, origins;
when the spiritual awakening
comes, we turn all this to account :
the lower furnishes the stimulus,
the motive power which lifts us
to the higher plane.

Then life ceases in a measure to
be a mystery, and becomes a sci-
ence, an art. For we learn that life
is largely what we make it, that it
is mathematically exact, and if we
would alter it we must first change
ourselves, change our habits and
our thought.

Henceforth, one ideal is fore-
most — the development of the
soul. We seek, above all, to ex-
press the spiritual nature, to attain
' peace and manifest love — loye^to
' all creatures, to all mankind. All
the energy once spent In bitter-
; ness of thought, in jealousy, anger,
' fault-finding, and condemnation, is
i Iifled to the higher plane, and sent
\ forth as hope, trust, confidence,
sympathy, and goodfellowship.

One learns that all men are, in The

deepest truth, engaged in the same Discovery
great work — the search for and
development of spiritual peace and
freedom. They may not know it.
But the Spirit is present with every
soul, perfecting it. It is for us who
are in some measure enlightened
to help our fellow-souls to come to
consciousness of the deep spiritual
significance of life.

And so this great discovery in
regard to the law of evolution leads
to the greater truth, that the entire
universe of beings and things is one
system. It is not a scene of strife,
where we are liable to be attacked
by hostile beings or forces. There
is no devil. There is no ultimate,
independent power of evil. Kvil
is not an objective reality. There
is one beneficent law, one universal
creative Spirit, whose progressively
revealed life includes all forms, all
beings, all forces and tendencies.

No man is wholly perverse or de-
praved. No man is without a soul,
struggling for freedom. The Spirit
is never absent, even from those
whom we deem most wicked.

Living by The power behiud all passion is
the Spirit goo^i . it is only the thought, the
use or direction of it, which is
wrong. The force that creates our
diseases is beneficent ; it is our man-
ner of life, our ignorant opposition
to it, which misdirects it and causes
suflfering.

Thus all our misery, all our pain,
is traceable to ignorance and mis-
use of our forces. Enlightenment
is the sovereign cure alike for phys-
ical and for moral ills.

No man would do wrong if he un-
derstood his real nature as a spiri-
tual agent. It is short-sightedness,
lack of thougBf7^|^oratice of £££1
law of cause and efFect, more than
perversity, which causes wr ong-
Hoing in the world.

Therefore, there should be no
condemnation ; only charity, sym-
pathy, helpfulness.
The real tendency of things is to
'. work together for good. Only the

* ignorant man condemns the uni-
, ; verse, or complains that God is un-

• just and cruel. The wise man
knows that he has only himself to

. blame.

The forces of the universe will / The
bring health and peace when we / Discovery
are harmoniously adjusted to them. ^
Disease and ev il are ill-adjustments
to the creative fiiel Tfiey"*a'fe~re-
moved in so far as each individual
understands their origin, awakens
to a knowledge of law, and begins
to co-operate instead of to op-
pose.

It is adjustment that we need,
above all, — understanding, self-
control, and adjustment. Not affir-
mation, not self-assertion, or the
attempt to force things to go our
way, but the question, Whither is
evolution tending? What is the
divine creative purpose? What
saith the Spirit ?

This is a hard lesson for the wil-
ful, the self-conceited, and the
selfish to learn.

There are many in these days
who have learned just enough about
the power of individual thought to
send out demands or claims for per-
sonal wealth and power. They try
to influence certain minds to be-
stow gifts. They try to build their
own thought world from within.

Living by Their life i3 a continual self-affir-
the Spirit mation.

But all this is a deviation. There
is nothing spiritual in it.
I The truly spiritual life begins
< when one asks, in profound humil-
• ity, A^atjyilt Thou ? What isThj
\ will, O Spirit, to whom I ow e all

tnalT am, whose purpose for me~
includes all that I fi^ed, whose love
Is ever ready to ^siisfaiin an fSer-
feet, whose presence 1 have so long
opposed and ignoredT '^"~

Is not this the attitude of the
Christ soul ?

The Christ soul seeks to harmo-
nize its will with the immanent will
of the Father, with the forces of the
. universe which make for beauty,
love, and the freedom of the soul.
In this spirit one should app roach
I every experience in life, seeking
Its underlying law of harmonj^ and~~
love. Thus shall every experience
bring health and freedom, not for
self alone, but for humanity ; for
the Christ law is social as well as
. universal.

Here is the simplicity of life, its
deepest purpose and essence. The

Father sends himself out in crea- The

live activity, forming worlds, phys- Discovery
ical beings, souls. He adapts all
things so that they shall ultimately
manifest love, beauty, justice, so
that social perfection and harmony
shall be attained. Consequently,
the relation of means to ends is far-
reaching, so broad and deep that
the majority of men, mistaking the
creative purpose, complain and
rebel.

But ever on and on the advan-
cing Love moves within and upon
us, uplifting, sustaining, perfect-
ing. It pauses not, nor sleeps. It
ever watches and guards. Purp art
is to become acquainted with its
pre sence ; and so7 dwelling with it,
to wit hdraw all opposition, and be
faithful in^he^least and the great-
est to its guidance.

CHAPTKR V

run i*Aw

IT is clear that, if one is to apply
the law of the Spirit in all de-
tails of daily life, there must be a
radical change in one*s methods
and standards. Ordinarily, man is
swayed by many standards, finan-
cial principles, rules of etiquette,
personal interests, and the like.
Some care most for material things,
some for ideas, for the ideals of
science and art. There is little
consistency, and consequently al-
most no simplicity, of conduct.

In the spiritual life, however,
one standard rules, and all prob-
lems are to be settled^y refer^ce
to that. The soul must dedicate
itself unqualifiedly to the life of
the Spirit, seek that first and last.
Just as, iu the earlier stages oif one's
development, all experiences are to

be understood in relation to the The
individual, so now all are to be ^•^
regulated in the light of the inspi-
rations of the Spirit. If outer cir-
cumstances must be disregarded, if
the change means the withdrawal
of manifold personal interests and
relationships, the neglect of many
social demands — let it be so.
Seek first the kingdom of the
Spirit and let all these be added in
the light of their importance when
judged by the spiritual law.

But do not seek the kingdom for
the sake of the things which shall
be added unto you. Seek it as an
end in itself, though fidelity to it
seem to involve the surrendering
of all that is most dear.

The Spirit will see to it that you
are clothed and fed. You will not
lack friends or congenial surround-
ings. All this will be given back
glorified, if you take the great step
which many find so hard,— if you
trust the Spirit, if you deny your-
self.

Genuine spirituality is not only
true simplicity, it is practical,
warm, loving, tender, and social.

Living by It is not exclusive, but inclu-
the Spirit si^e

The spiritual grows up through
the common, lifting and purifying
it forevermore. It is already here,
latent, resident in the common,
awaiting our recognition. It will
attain fulness and beauty of outward
expression if, like the seed which
attains maturity, it is placed in the
proper environment.

Consequently one's thought
should be centred on the ideal
outcome, even though this trust
be literally like a step in the dark.
This trust, this love or equanimity,
amidst the surging play of ap-
parently fatal circumstances, is one
of the prices demanded of all who
would attain the highest spiritual
level.

If one sees the end, has a spir-
itual conviction, the means will be
forthcoming.

When one seeks to do the work
of the universe, the conditions are
wholly favorable, although they
may not at first seem so. The
Spirit never forgets, it never fails
to provide. Its purposes are wholly

spiritual. The entire creative The
scfieSie is founded with this object ^•^
"Tn inewT "!^"^

"" The spiritual life, with the op-
portunities it involves and the in-
spirations it brings, is never due to
one's self alone. It is some part of
the universal plan, the conditions
of which have place in the nature
of things. One's faith is therefore
founded on reason, upon knowl-
edge of the laws of the universe.

For example, it is the will of the
universe that all should attain
health. Evolution is ever working
for it. Its agents are both physi-
cally and mentally present with
each of us. If we recognize these
powers, instead of attributing the
pains of growth to the activity of
some hostile power, if we perceive
the inner tendency and harmonize
our organism with it, all things
must follow, and we shall be guid-
ed in regard to the attainment of
health in particular details.

When, for instance, the nervous
man strikes at the root of all his
ailments — his headaches, depressed
states of mind, indigestion, heart

Living by trouble, and therest— ^b^ c ultivat-
tbe Spirit ing "tfiwl^a repose, he^ is ta kipg
the sBoWVsi^ rbaa To the reforma-
IXori of his entire life. "~
"~ Inward repose m usl t ransform
the outer life ; no powercan st op it

To work upon or doctor external
effects without altering the inner
habit which lies at the basis of
them, is mere waste of force.

To become involved in the
sensation-process, to suppress or
resist one's forces, is to show igno-
rance of the law. It is wise use,
not suppression, that conquers. It
is first inward change, then out-
ward correspondence.

The Spirit is the essential—^
feet that, "think of that, trust in
that, then grant it freedom to do
its work.

No cure of any evil or disease is
permanent which fails to remove
its deepest cause. If we remove
the cause, the effect will cease
without assistance on our part.

The highway to all reform is,
therefore, the line of least re-
sistance whose vantage-point is
within.

■ v

If you follow external methods, The

use force and mental pressure, you ^"^
will call out force in return.

Every man responds according
to the spirit in which he is ap-
proached.

Anything you may say or do to
call out the best in a man, his love
and sympathy, will result in ex-
ternal good, though you have said
nothing about the way he treats
his servants, his disregard of the
poor, or his attitude in regard to
the private monopoly of land.

It is .when the soul is touched
that the outer life responds.

All the social problems centre
about the inner or spiritual world.
It is there that the egoist, the mo-
nopolist, and the oppressor must
come to consciousness and under-
stand.

For, remember, all real growth is
from within outward ; it begins by
taking thought. All real growth
is governed by one law, the law
of spiritual evolution.

The inner man is the com-
mander. It is he who utters the
decisive word, he who assents or

Living by ^<^i.§is*. lie wliQ. hatfiS. Of lo ves.^

the Spirit Consequently, all spiritual develop-
ment begins with the conscious
individual effort, with the choice
of the spiritual ideal.

Belief does not accomplish Xh.p
purpose. No acceptance of creed
or dogma — not even the doctrine
that Jesus died for us— can take
the place of the soul's own change
of attitude, the persistent determi-^
nation and self-denial required to
attain the spiritual go^l.

Therefore concentrate upon this
ideal, and remember that it is an
inclusive, social ideal, not a law
which applies to one's self only.

Attribute to men the highest
motives. Consider the diflSculties
of attaining spiritual freedom, and
take these into account in all your
relations with men .

Hold up the ideal which you
would see your associates realize.
Do not be impatient if they fail
to change externally as soon as
you wish. It is only the Spirit
that knows the fitness of time.

It is impossible to practise this
i purely spiritual method if one is

living for self. Personal prefer-
ence must be n^ unknown as all
impatience and personal influence I
through pressure.

He who seeks to ruJe \m fellows
should not expect to he served hy
the higher law. He who tries to ,
maBage brother or sister, wife or
cbild, is spending his force against, i
not for, the Spirit. It is not for us
either to dictate or to gcivem.

The dominating mind stands in
its own light as surely as does the
self-cooceitefl.

Not self aiisnra nee, hut receptive
humility, is the door to spiritual
knowledge and power.

One may win apparent .success
by hrinpnj;; one's self fonvard^ by
judicious advertising, by the use
of money or flattery. One may
win it by policy or strategy. For
the world is easily deceived. Very
few possess discernment. The false
Christ deceives even the elect.
The borrower is accepted as an
original genius, while the great
man is temporarily neglected.

But all this is for a season. It is
superficial and selfish. All the

Living by people are not to be deceived all
the Spirit tiie time.

In the end merit tells, as well as
honesty, fidelity, humility. The
man who has been silently and
faithfully working shall have due
recognition. He may have long
to wait. It is sometimes years
before our ideals are realized. But
patience, patience ! It is not o ur
I part to look for results, but t o be
; loyal to the Spirit. ' ~

Of what value is a purchased
success when compared with the
success which the Spirit brings, in
the fulness of time ?

If you do not yet believe in the
adequacy of the Spirit, that all
depends on your motive, your
spirit or love, obey the lower law
for a while longer. Seek things
for yourself. Make money. Use
personal influence and pressure.
When some one injures you, be-
come righteously indignant. Stand
up for your rights. Condemn,
criticise, and hold yourself up as
a model of virtue, exacting of
others that they attain and obey
your standard. Seek possessions

instead of the Spirit. Then ex- The
atnine the results and compare ^•^
them.

The Spirit is not content with
half-he^jCJa£(iness.,. It , asl^s jus to
give allj^^ If we ^ive allj, we re-
ceiv e__alL _, It is therefore well to^
experiqijfjBt \9Pg enough to be Qpn-
vinced of the universality and
superiority of the higher law. .

"Again and again we think we
have dedicated ourselves to the
Spirit, but discover that there has
been an admixture of personal de-
sire or interest. If the motive is
mixed, — if the desire is partly for
the Spirit and partly for self, if
mercenary motives have entered
in,— the result will be mixed. For
action and reaction are unflinch-
ingly equal.

Thus we learn through our fail-
ures the inexorableness of the
spiritual law. If the least atom
of envy, jealously, hatred, or self-
interest be present, the outcome
will De modified in that exact pro-
portion. No one can escape it.
No one can by pressure or the use
of money purchase a pure result.

ay f Just as surely as an undesirable

*** i element mars an experiment in

■ chemistry, so surely are our spir-

} itual endeavors defeated by all for-

\ eign admixtures.

f The temptation to become im-

' patient and use compulsion or

' external pressure is very great.

But it is all misspent energy. Only

the Spirit knows the direct way.

When we fail, we learn tha t we

must have greater trust, more

poise. The spiritual life is not

like a garment, which may be put

I on for occasions, not a mood which

i we work ourselves iuto for the sake

• of talking "beautifully,** or mak-

I ing a prayer. It is and must be-

' come a habit of life. Every mo- ,

! ment should be inspired by a dgep

consciousness of the Spirit. It .is

a life of uncompromising consecra-

JO that tbe spirilual life

isespressedspotitatieously.

There is a faculty within us '
tb rough Twhich the Spirit is cli-^^
rectly perceived. To the degree in J
which we exercise that^ llie life J
will grow in the coasciousue&s aud
^wer of the Spirit. Therefore
seek its development above all
else, 'Commeild your spiritual de- J
sires to the Father through the ex- i
ercise^f this faculty, theu patieutly
wait. Every thing, literally every-
tbiug, will be provided — if your
trust is perfect-

As you sow in the inuer world, '
you will reap in the outer. The i
law is perfect, beueliceut, eternal,
Every man shall receive in exact
proportion to his desire, his trust,
and his love.

CHAPTER VI
THE SPIRIT

THE greatest truth of human
existence is the fact that
God lives w ith us. All spiritual
philosophy starts "with this truth.
All true religion is founded upon
it. No argument is needed in these
days to show that it is in every
sense the substitute for the lifeless
formulas of the old theology.

Yet, easy as it is to convince
the modern mind that God dwells
with us, it is one thing to convince
the intellect, — ^to show that God is
the resident or immanent cause of
evolution, — and quite another to
show how this truth of truths is to
become the basis of practical life.

The difficulty is that we fail to
realize the significance of this
great truth in detail. The thought
is quickly grasped that God is

everywhere present, that he is all The
goodness, wisdom, and love, the Spirit
abiding source of all life. But this
is too general. It does not bring
him near enough.

Furthermore, the term "God"
is still associated in many minds
with the conception of a great man
or power outside of the universe,
beyond the grasp of our human life.

The term ** Spirit" overcomes
some of these difficulties, and sug-
gests the living, practical presence,
wisdom, or love, since it is not
thought of as excluded by physical
forms or limited to a particular or-
ganism, but as the indwelling life
of them all.

The Spirit may therefore be de-
fined as the invisible Being, Life,
Power, which enters and manifests
itself through us wherever it finds
recognition, receptivity, and con-
scious co-operation. It is the one,
eternal reality, the source of all, the
sustainer of all that exists. From
it have come all worlds, all forces,
forms, and beings. In its pres-
ence all beings and things, all
worlds and souls, abide.

Living by It is the permanent that abides
the spirit through the transient, yet is per-
manent only because it ever sends
itself forth in newness of life, in
perennial manifestation.

It is the power which holds all
worlds, all atoms, and beings to-
gether in one system, the source
of the law and order, the goodness,
the central purpose, of the universe.
It is beyond all forms, yet is their
cause and life. It is beyond all
words; yet, in naming its attri-
butes, we name it, the indefinable.
It is love, peace, goodness, wisdom,
gentleness, and so is known to man
wherever these qualities are re-
vealed.

We know the Spirit as it passes
into manifestation. We know it,
above all, as life, as the life of na-
ture and of ourselves. We know
it as we attain goodness and wis-
dom, peace, poise, unselfishness,
and love. We know it as the
Father.

In its noblest manifestation it is
personal, in intimate relation with
every living soul. It should not be
conceived as in any sense separate

from us. It is our own density or The
ignorance which causes the sense Spirit
of separation. For it is like light,
ever waiting to shine through.

From the practical point of view
the Spirit should therefore be re-
garded as we consider the air we
breathe; that is, as immediately
surrounding the soul and, like the
atmosphere, adequate to meet all
our demands.

Not only this: the Spirit inter-
penetrates and animates in a sense
in which the atmosphere does not,
nor any atmosphere or gas, nor
the finest vibrations of light or
heat, the most rapid activity of
ether or thought. The Spirit is
within and around these. It is
not oqly their source, but it holds
them, it owns and masters them.
Consequently, the most tightly
shut door in the most infinitesimal
atom would not be proof against
the Spirit.

No activity, whether of an atom
or the radiation of energy from a
sun, can pass beyond it. It is the
inmost of substance, the heart of
force, the life of form, the essence

Living by of motion, at once the centre and
the Spirit circumference of the universe.

As the plant is environed by and
draws energy from the sun, at
need and according to capacity,
so the heart and mind of man
absorb and assimilate wisdom, love,
and beauty from the illuminations
of the Spirit.

When the soul rises above itself
and speaks better than it knows,
the Spirit is there. When love
becomes unselfish, and the peace
which follows struggle comforts
the soul, it is then that the Spirit
speaketh.

It is this which enters to sustain
and feed the soul when, hungry
and disconsolate and weak in it-
self, it cries out in anguish for the
Father's love. No soul strives and
searches and loves without the
Father. Though we deny and
doubt him, he is ever here, pres-
ent in our speculations, near to
our hearts even when we spurn
him.

He may not concern himself
with our thoughts or know them
as we regard them ; but they are, in

reality, activities within his total The
life, in the same way that the least Spirit
and the greatest mauifestatioas of
physical force are encompassed
by the Spirit.

The moral law is of the Spirit.
No ethical decision is made without
the Father. Not that the decision
is his, not that there is no finite
power of reasoning ; for I am not
advocating the theory that all this
universe is simply and solely the
one Spirit The universe is rather
the manifestation of Spirit, the em-
bodiment or language. Its full
glory is seen, not when we deem
God, nature, and the soul one and
the same, but when we regard
nature and the soul as produced
by and revealing the Spirit of
God.

In like manner, individual souls
are truly appreciated when we
recognize both their difference and
their likeness, their special genius,
and their kinship with God. Bach
of us is individual, as we have
repeatedly noted in the foregoing
chapters. Each of us possesses a
separate organ of consciousness, a

Living by distinct will, and an independent
the Spirit power of action.

That this is the fact of life, we
know perfectly from individual ex-
perience ; for all our experiences
prove intelligible only in relation
to the individual who owns and
evolves through them.

We find further evidence of this
in our freedom of will, our power
of choice or liberty to pursue the
selfish course, indefinitely to post-
pone the day of righteousness.

The Spirit is not aggressive. It
does not force itself in nor compel
assent. It is silent, moderate,
faithful. It never deserts us, yet
it never interferes.

In moments of half-unconscious-
ness of its presence the peace and
love of the Spirit enter the soul.
In due time we consciously recog-
nize its illuminations, and so learn
its law, so learn that the Spirit
is never wholly absent from us.

Thus we learn to turn to divine
account all the powers and facul-
ties which we formerly regarded as
belonging solely to ourselves.

In awaiting and studying the The
manifestations of the Spirit, the Spirit
mind applies the same methods
and obeys the same laws which
have governed its growth from
infancy to maturity.

The prime essential is habitual
receptivity, the training of our
organisms to note and to make
the most of the presence of the
Spirit. It is literally **the prac-
tice of the presence of God," as
a devoted soul puts it, the setting
aside of a part of our nature for
the conscious observation and man-
ifestation of the Spirit.

It must be matter of habit to|
turn first to the Spirit for guid- l
ance, for information on any point. 1
There must be a deep undercurrent ;
of thought, ready to well up into '\
consciousness the moment the '«
Spirit is there.

The Spirit knows the way. It /
will lead us to those whom we can '
help, to new friends, new oppor- I
tunities, greater truth. It is ade- !
quate, it is abundant, it is loyal |
and constant

The discovery of the Spirit's

Living by presence is like the study of our
the Spirit fellow-beings and the contempla-
tion of nature, as we sit by the
window, wondering and philoso-
phizing. Life is ever before us;
it is for us to discover its meaning
and beauty. All that we would
know and possess is here ; it is
for us to awaken to knowledge
of its laws and purposes.
\ We are by nature constituted to
\ reveal the Spirit. It is only igno-
1 ranee, not an insurmountable bar-
i rier, that keeps it away.

When we meditate, or find the
; peace and repose of the primitive
forest, we are preparing to receive
the Spirit. (The best of all methods
of acquiring self-control, inward
peace and poise, is the concentra-
tion of thought upon the perpetual
presence of the Sp irit . \ .
"*T/el'every'l:hought lead you to
a new sense of oneness with the
Spirit. Let every moment be in-
spired by the consciousness Jthat
it is not you alone, not your own
power and virtue, that accom-
plishes and builds and perfects ; it
is the Spirit that worketh in you.

Let this thought so fill you that : / The
it shall remove all sentiments of • Spirit
personal credit, all jealousy, envy,
distrust, and discontent. There i3
no room for these, when the con-
sciousness of the Spirit is there.

Instead, all life becomes a divine
poem, a symphony whose harmo-
nies give boundless delight to the
soul.

Thus every atom is thought of
as an agent of divine expression.
Every moment is known to be
a fresh revelation of God. Every
faculty of one*s being is made an
avenue through which the Spirit
may round out and beautify one's
life.

Peace, be still ! and know the
Spirit. Become inwardly calm,
restful, trustful. Open out in
thoughts of hope and thanksgiv-
ing. Rejoice that the Spirit is
here.

CHAPTER VII

IT is clear that, to co-operate with
the Spirit, we must know what
it is seeking to accomplish through
us.

In the highest sense, as we have
already noted, the Spirit is seeking
to perfect the soul, to exalt charac-
ter until it shall not merely glorify
the individual life, but ennoble all
humanity through the rearing of
an ideal social state, through ser-
vice, through brotherhood, and the
home.

Yet many still conceive of the
spiritual ideal as a kind of super-
nal life, visionary, vague, and im-
practical.

Is it necessarily so ?

Should one who lives by the
Spirit be one-sided, self-centred,
or ascetic ?

If not, there must be a broader, The

healthier ideal, a mode of life in ^^^^
which one is true to all the planes
of being on which the Spirit mani-
fests itself.

For all life in the profoundest
sense is spiritual. The Spirit is
the only ultimate reality, the only
cause, the only Creator.

It is only when we mistake the
cause, or regard matter as an end
or power in itself, that materialism
triumphs.

The flesh is not degraded in it-
self. Our passions (be it repeated
and remembered) are inherently
good. But the flesh is put in right
relations only when viewed in the
light of the Spirit, when we ask
ourselves, What is its divine place?
How can it become a temple of the
living God ?

What, then, is the divine ideal,
not as man states it, but as the
whole broad universe reveals it?
It is unquestionably beauty.

As one looks forth over the face
of nature in search of a clue to the
method of the Spirit, one is every-
where inspired by the presence of

Living by beauty. Other purposes doubtless
the Spirit 1^ tQ tijg production of the uni-
verse. Other laws are involved in
its constitution . But without beauty
the universe could not be. This de-
pendence of all things upon beauty
is well suggested by the Greek word
Kosmos, which signifies not merely
the universe, but the world-system,
— law, order, beauty. It is in this
comprehensive sense, as a univer-
sal law, that I shall use the word
in this chapter.

Beauty having been defined as at
once an ideal and an ultimate, ne-
cessary part of the universe, we
find that it fulfils a twofold pur-
pose in life. Each moment reposes
in beauty, possesses a value of its
own ; it also suggests the nobler
ideal toward which life as a whole
is aspiring. We are to be satisfied,
delighted, by passing forms and ac-
complishments ; yet we should be
contented only through progress
to the greater beauty beyond. Thus
the law of beauty is intimately re-
lated to the law of evolution. To
know beauty in its fiiUest sense, we
must know it as the totality of

advancing life reveals it. To know The
it in its profoundest sense, we must ^^***
know it as the beauty of the Spirit.

The constitution of the universe,
seen from this general point of
view, is variety in unity. The
world is not founded in mere same-
ness or bare monotony. It is not
to be absorbed in a severely sim-
ple and therefore ugly Absolute.
It is compounded of infinite parts.
It fulfils numberless purposes or
ends. The power that carries it
forward is infinitely rich in char-
acter. We have arrived at this con-
clusion in our interpretation of
Spirit : the Spirit is beautiful, not
because it is alone, because it is all
that exists ; but because it is mani-
fested through an infinite number
of souls, forms, species, and worlds ;
because of its fatherhood.

Consequently, human life is to
be understood in relation to this
universal ideal of beauty in unity.
Just as no organ or portion of the
body is suflScient in itself, but is
useful or beautiful in relation, so
no phase of daily existence may be
singled out as an end in itself. It

Living by is impossible to select any factor or
the Spirit ideal as adequate without its re-
lated factors and ideals. Thought is
incomplete without action. We do
not exist for pleasure only ; yet
pleasure is essential to the beauti-
ful, it is necessary to the useful life.
We were not bom to work merely,
yet nothing is nobler than work.
Individuality is a necessary char-
acteristic of the ideal man, but it
is not beautiful by itself. Art is
highly valuable ; yet it is fortu-
nately compelled to be practical,
in order to subsist in this practical
world. Thus one might pass in
review all the ideals and vocations
of life, finding them one and all
necessary, but dependent, related,
secondary, or contributory.

When we turn from a considera-
tion of life in general to the char-
acter and constitution of man,
we find the same great law exem-
'. plified. Man is a physical, an
intellectual, a moral, social, and
spiritual being ; and you will not
find him well balanced unless he is
giving attention to all these planes
of life. One need only point to

this age of specialists to prove the The

inadequacy of a single pursuit. ^^«**
Obviously, we are still unfinished
in our development. The great
Artist is at work upon us. His law
is the law of beauty amid unity.
His method is the appeal to all
our instincts, — the instinct for the
good, the beautiful, the healthy,
the true, the happy. Wherever we
are one-sided, we are subjected td
the creative power. Wherever we
are receptive or have come to con-
sciousness, we may receive help
from the evolutionary beauty, and
so round out our organisms.

The meaning of pain, the heart /
of desire, the significance of all J
our restlessness, is the prompting;
of this great evolutionary instincti
for the beautiful. When we are ill, j
when we have lost our poise, when I
we are in sorrow, the great heart j
of Nature is opened ; and she!
seeks to restore harmony.

Harmony is beauty. Poise is
beauty. Happiness and health are
beauty. But they are of the com-
posite character of variety in unity.
They are to be attained only when

Living by we become acquainted with their
the Spirit constituents, and seek them not as
mere ends in themselves, but as
dependent and contributory.

For example, health is not per-
fect if merely physical. It must
be conscious ; that is, it must be
based on self-knowledge. But self-
knowledge, as we have noted,
must be followed by self-control,
and self-control is in turn both
moral and spiritual. It means the
understanding, mastery, and mu-
tual adjustment of all our forces.
He is sound who has attained or-
ganic beauty, and an organism is
the harmonious co-operation of
many well-adjusted parts.

Thus the problem of beauty is
for the ages to solve. The first
step is the realization that the
Spirit is making for beauty, that
it is immanent in us, and that we
can co-operate with it. The sec-
ond essential is the knowledge that
the Power that makes for beauty
has chosen the infinitely varied,
many-sided ideal of the universe
at large. The general task in
hand, our problem reduces itself to

the search for beauty in minute The
detail. ^**«»*

Every discord may be regarded
as a part of this great endeavor to
adjust one's self to the beauty of
the universe. To live by the Spirit
is to love and realize this ideal.

When we meet annoyances good-
naturedly, we have made a begin-
ning. To accept adverse criticism
in the right spirit or to be helped
rather than to be downcast by mis-
fortune is to manifest the same
beauty. Beauty is peace, beauty
is love. Sympathy and devotion
are beautiful. And he who attains
these realizes in some measure the
great law.

Thus the contemplation of life
from the point of view of hope,
optimism, is the discovery of the
beauty which reigns at the heart
of things. He who is despondent,
pessimistic, has not yet reached
the plane of this broad vision.
There is something ugly in him
which he has not yet overcome.
Consequently, he reads his own
state of mind or body into the
universe. But when we begin to

Livingrby put oflf fear, worrimeot, nervous-
the Spirit ness, ill-will, complaint, despair,
by making onrselves physically
and mentally beautiful, we begin
to see things as they are, to rec-
ognize that they are wrought
into an environment of beauty.

The supreme beauty of life th«te-
fore begins to find expression only
after that period when the ugliness
of self is in some measure set aside.
Beauty at its best is spiritual, that
is, invisible ; and so must begin in
the illuminations of the soul.

Consequently, those who live
with the poets, whose souls are
quickened by music and art, more
readily express the beauty which
shines from within. Its basis lies
in the spiritual constitution of the
uniyerse.

In its highest essence, beauty is
also spiritual because it is not per-
ceived until the mind is suflficiently
purified to take into itself the gifts
of the senses and discover their
beauty. The world grows beauti-
ful in proportion as man's own ug-
liness is eliminated. The beauty
of nature is most fully apprehended

by the most refined, sensitive soul. The

It is worded, pictured, sculptured, ^**®**
or sung, only by those who have
attained a high inward develop-
ment. And beauty becomes more
and more spiritual as we pass from
the beauty of nature, of forms and
faces, to the beauty of friendship,
of the home, and the soul.

The noblest product of the uni-
verse is the beautiful soul, that is,
the manly, developed, masterful
soul ; one that has attained peace
through trial and grace through
exercise. The supreme grace is
the beauty of spiritual devotion,
the love that denies itself, the heart
and genius of the Christ.

The transition to another life will
be beautiful beyond all description
if the soul have attained this high
level in the present existence.
Death itself, sorrow, suflfering, all
that is hardest to bear in life, is
tHus rendered beautiful by the
strength, the peace, and serenity
of the soul.

Nothing in life reaches its true
level until it reveals this higher
law ; for all things are capable of

Living by attaining the artistic stage, the
the Spirit plane of finished performance, of
many-sided perfection. IbcjaBal-
ization of beaat yin it s fullest sense
Is thus the attainment of self-
abandonment, the passing from
selfishness to service, where TFe
" soul no longer imposes itself upon
the universe, but" asks : Whafis
thy will, O Eternal Beauty ? What
is thy law ?

CHAPTER VIII

IT is said that philosophy begins
in wonder. And so our study
began, as we sat together by the
window of life, looking out over
the fields and mingling in thought
with the hurrying throng. We
wondered what it all meant, — why
we were here, and where we should
find peace.

In search of a clue to the deep
spiritual significance of life, we
turned first to childhood. There
we found beauty — the beauty of
the eternal relationship between
cause and efifect.

Following this clue, we have
found all life characterized by the
same beautiful law. As we act, so
we are acted upon. As we desire,
or make effort; as we think, or
send out love, so does the universe

Living by reward us. In the silent, inner
the Spirit realm of the individual soul our
life is understood, our life is di-
rected. The universe began to be
intelligible to us from the moment
we recognized the place and power
of the soul as the home of decisive
thought, the starting-point of all
activities and emotions, the centre
of all our experiences.

We saw that ere we could be-
come spiritually free we must un-
derstand and master ourselves. We
must build new habits, cultivate re-
pose, learn to control our thoughts
and emotions in their inceptive
stages. All future conduct must be
governed by one standard — that
which is in harmony with the
Spirit, that which reveals the Spirit.
And all progress must be governed
by one law — the law of spiritual
evolution, out from the centre to
the circumference, out from the
inner world to the world of con-
duct and society.

Let us then systematize the phil-
osophical facts and principles which
we have thus considered, that
this brief discussion of them may

serve as a guide for our future The
thinking. Life

1. We start with the world as it
exists before us, its limitless vari-
ety, its busy throngs of men and
women, struggling and rejoicing,
failing and succeeding, in search
of power and happiness, impressed
with the magnitude and mystery
of life.

2. The most noticeable charac-
teristic in this complex mass of
beings and things is forward activ-
ity. Life advances. The days come
and go. Time flits and man moves
with it.

3. Amid this perpetual advance
of life, carrying all things forward,
man, history, the stars and planets,
we observe systematic growth from
infancy to maturity. The seed
becomes the plant by successive
stages. The cell becomes physical
man. The desire to walk develops
into a lifelong habit. A thought
in the mind of a reformer becomes
known to the entire world. Every-
where in the broad universe we
find evidences of this systematic,
progressive evolution.

Living by t 4. Since the cell becomes pbysi-
the Spirit/ ^,^1 man because of the resident
L life which surrounds and nourishes
4 it, since to-day is the product of
; yesterday, and every successive step
k in the great forward movement is
^ the effect of the condition imme-
i diately preceding it, there must be
, a continuously active Power or
\ Cause by whose advancing life the
ij great stream of successive changes
j is carried forward.

5. This continuous creative pres-
ence is the Spirit, the immanent,
omnipresent, all-inclusive Life
whence all beings and things orig-
inate.

6. The methods and purposes of
the Spirit are discovered by obser-
vation of the perpetual forward
movement of life as it passes day
by day. The Spirit has attained
perfection in the tree, the animal,
in nature at large ; it is now attain-
ing it through man, through na-
tions, through our moral and
spiritual life. Hence our struggles
and our pains, our ambitions and
strivings.

7. In the mental world we find a

corresponding pulsation of life, The
ever forward. We find ourselves ^*f®
taking certain attitudes toward the
advancing stream of physical and
social life. The problem arises,
Shall we complain, rebel, fear, or
shall we harmonize, love, trust?
Shall we try to stem the incoming
tide of divine, creative activity, or
move forward with it ?

8. Experiment teaches us that
the wisest course is adjustment, co-
operation with the creative activity
of the Spirit, the choice of the
Father's way, the ideals of beauty,
love, service, the Christ.

9. Here is the secret of life, the
simplicity of thought and conduct.
Seek poised, trustful, many-sided
adjustment to the advancing Spirit
as it moves upon the soul within,
and carries the perfect ideal for-
ward to completion.

All wisdom, all service, all real
success in life, is summed up in
that.

Seek first the kingdom of the
Spirit and be faithful to each of its
promptings, and all that is needed
for the fulness of life shall be added.

Living by For the Father has already pro

thc Spirit vided ; it is for the soul to know

and be true to its own.

And the standard whereby we are
to discern the promptings of the
Spirit from the dictates of self, is
that the former are unselfish, out-
going, abounding in satisfaction
and peace ; while the latter are
purely personal, self- absorbing,
accompanied by uncertainty and
unrest.

There is one rule, then, for all
cases, without exception and with-
out limit. In all times of doubt,
of trouble and need, when prompt-
ings and theories conflict, when
there is discouragement, sorrow, or
pain, first pause for a moment to
reflect. Remember that within and
behind, around and through every
human life, and every detail of
each human experience, there is
an all-suflBcient Spirit, an ever-sus-
taining Love, an all-seeing Wis-
dom. It is this Power which carries
all things forward. It is this which
inspires, underlies, and fulfils the
individual purposes of all souls.
It is here. It abounds. It abides.

Listen in stillness and peace for its The

helpful presence. ^^^^

Slacken speed and rest. Relax
the pressure on the tightened mus-
cles and nerves. Cease to fear and
to be anxious. Seek the cause,
the origin, the starting-point. Ob-
serve the tendencies of your life
and seek harmony with those
which make for peace and health.
See how all is governed by law,
how all is aflfected by what you
think, what you are, and what you
do. Ask what is wisest, then be
true to that. Simply do the best
^oii know, then trust. He who
seeks to live by the Spirit and who
'cares above all for that, will not
be without guidance.

One also learns how to live from
the Spirit by observing the lives
of those about us who are true to
its inner illuminations.

He who lives by the Spirit is the
consecrated soul. He is kind, ten-
der, gracious, broadly sympathetic
and charitable. His voice is pure
and resonant, his smile reveals the
sweet serenity and saintliuess of
his soul.

Living by Such a man cares most for
the Spirit eternal things. He preserves the
simplicity of childhood, that child-
likeness which is near the kingdom
of heaven.

With some the Spirit speaks as
devotion, philanthropy, benevo-
lence. Some manifest it as peace,
others as modesty, humility, sin-
cerity ; the noblest reveal it as love.

When we need help physically,
as well as morally and spiritually,
therefore, we should put ourselves,
as far as possible, in the attitude of
receptivity which characterizes the
lives of these great and devoted
souls.

Become as a little child. Open
mind and heart, open the entire
organism, to receive.

Think of the Spirit as immedi-
ately surrounding you like the at-
mosphere, waiting to be received.
And so create room in yourself.
Send out the thought until it en-
larges to the dignity and magnitude
of the universe.

Think also of the Spirit as resi-
dent in you, as the creative ideal
of beauty. Instead of opposing the

creative life and thereby feeling it The
as pain, harmonize, unite with it ^^^«
by holding before you an ideal
thought -picture of the beauty it
seeks to attain.

Do not think of the sensation,
the trouble, or wrong from which
you seek freedom. Be concened
rather with the outcome, the ideal.

Painful consciousness of sensa-
tion is undue consciousness of self.

Transfer your attention, little by
little, from self and from sensation
to the Spirit, and the ministrations
of the Spirit will relieve the dis-
cord.

It is hard indeed to attain a sense
of entire oneness with the Spirit.
It demands thought, patience, and
the ability to concentrate the mind.

Yet this is the ideal, the simple,
direct road. Therefore follow this,
day by day, and hour by hour,
remembering the starting-point —
to love first the Spirit, to become
in all humility as a little child.

Thus, our ideal is a life, not a
theory. They know the Spirit only
who live by it. It is not to be
bought. No man can declare its

Living by highest revelations, for they are
the Spirit ^^jg inmost illuminations in the sa-
cred precincts of the individual
soul.

The Spirit gives an essence, a
power, a food ; and he who lives
hy it can give that essence itself.

The wisest attitude is to live with
a constant remembrance that the
Spirit may enter at any time. It
comes when it will. No one knows
fully its coming and going, for in
its highest aspect it is above and
beyond the merely self-conscious.
We know only that it comes when
we are least conscious that we are
receptive.

If a man paints a great picture,
writes a great book, or composes a
masterpiece, he tries to repeat the
master-stroke. But his work is sec-
ond-rate. He must bide his time
until he receives a new inspiration.
The secret of genius is in the keep-
ing of the Highest.

An inimitable spontaneity pre-
sides over these first performances ;
it is governed by a higher law. It
overleaps all barriers and succeeds
where failure seems inevitable. It

outreaches the keenest and outwits The

the subtlest. It is art for art's sake, ^^^^

truth for truth's sake, the virtue
which is its own reward.

Our work is a task, an eflfort, un-
til we thus take advantage of the
higher law.

At first we obey selfish and mer-
cenary motives in our art and life,
then discover their low character,
and choose the higher way.

A book, for example, may be
written for money, to display
learning, or for the general good.
But the best books are written be-
cause the Spirit prompts their auth-
ors to attain self-expression. Many
have been written without thought
of publication, then published re-
gardless of the praise or money
they might bring.

In the same way, we perform
many acts of service because they
are '* the correct thing," or because
we think we ought. But a day
comes when it is a part of our spir-
itual life to be altruistic : because
we love.

We compensate those who have
been good to us, but it is a low mo-

Living by tive. The higher way is to give
the Spirit ^hen the Spirit prompts, not for
personal reasons.

My conversation shall he worth
hearing, or my letters worth read-
ing, when I have something to say,
not when I force my thought into
words.

In all things, in all peoples, gov-
ernments, nations, the Spirit is
achieving high ends hy this higher
law of spontaneity, genius. We
know of its presence through what
it has achieved, which no man
planned or foresaw. We know not
until a result slips in where it was
most active.

There are times when things
seem to be going to ruin, and gov-
ernments to be on the verge of
failure. But the Spirit is at the
helm. Out of temporary failure
success shall come, out of calamity
compensation, and out of threat-
ened ruin a new lease of life.

Thus does one detect evidences
of the Spirit's presence, both in the
personal life and in society.

The Spirit is here : that is enough.
It is wisdom and goodness, it is love

and beauty ; why need we distrust ? The

Only goodness can triumph, only ^*^*

love can reign . There is no hostile
power, there is naught that can
wreck the universe.

Seek first, last, and always the
Spirit. Abide with that, hold to
that, trust in that, and all shall be
cared for, all shall lead to the haven
of peace and love.

The prime essential, I repeat, is
to remember the spiritual law. ^ 1
changes begin in the inner wprld
where man alters his mental atti-
tude, his belief or mode of action.
5tir growth is from a centre. AH
ptGgtes^ is through gradual evolu-
tion. If the centre be touched, if
the heart be changed, if the soul
come to consciousness, the exter-
nal result will follow.

Therefore concentrate. Be true
to the Spirit, hold to the ideal
through thick and thin. Remem-
ber the law of change ; and all
the forces of the universe shall
come to your aid. Naught can
hinder. Nothing can upset you.
Here is the rock, the basis of life.
Knowledge and power and free-

BOOKS BY

Horatio W. Dresser.

/betbodd and problems ot Spiritual
dealing.

Pp. loi, i6mo. $i.oo.
" The volume is written in a popular vein, and not
only conduces to a thorough understanding of the sub-
ject, but it abounds in suggestions which if followed
will promote health and well-being." — /'/«j3«r^A
Times.

Zbc power of Silence.

An Interpretation of Life in Its Relation to
Health and Happiness. Tenth edition. Pp.
219, gilt top, x6mo. $1.25.

*' The object of the book cannot be too highly com-
mended. ... It is really a charming essay, clear and
exceedingly interesting. . . . It is a hearty, healthy,
wholesome book; and it will do the conservative
churchman, as well as the advanced thinker, a great
service." — New York Herald.

tTbe perfect IKIlbole.

An Essay on the Conduct and Meaning of Life.

Third edition. Pp. 254, gilt top, i6mo. $1.25.

" ' The Perfect Whole,' by Horatio W. Dresser, is
a deeply religious essay upon the conduct and mean-
ing of life, by one who has experienced the peace and
joy that come from the belief that one Divine Spirit
IS working in all things and through all things. The
volume lays no claims to originality of thought, but
there is always original thought where there is such
freshness and deotn of feeling." — The Outiooky New
York.

\t)ofce0 of l)ope,

and Other Messages from the Hills. A Series

of Essays on the Problem of Life, Optimism,

^LVid the Christ. Pp. 2x3, i6mo. $1.25.

" This new book will appeal to a very large circle

of readers. It is in the direct line of sdl his former

works — helpful, stimulating and comforting. . . . No

one can read it without feeling the better for it." —

Transcripts Boston, Mass.

BOOKS BY HORATIO W. DRBSSER.

tTbe l)eart of ft.

Compiled from "The Power of Silence" and
•*The Perfect ^Vhole," by Helen Campbell
and Katharine W^estendorf, with a Preface
by Helen Campbell. Contains the best pass-
ages from the two volumes, systematically
arranged. Pp. 145, r6mo. 75 cents.
" These extracts have been made judiciously, and
compose an anthology remarkable for the multitude
of inspiring thoughts and for the beauty of their ex-
pression." — Christian Register^ Boston, Mass.

f n Searcb ot a SouL

A Series of Essays in Interpretation of the
Higher Nature of Man. Second edition. Pp.
373» gilt top, i6mo. $1.35.

"... Mr. Dresser's sane and helpful thoughts
ought to be broad spread, for in such thinking we
find something of that spiritual poise which marks the
union of Heaven with our earth." — The Outlook.

IDoicea of jfrcet)om

and Studies in the Philosophy of Individuality.

With portrait. Pp. 210, i6mo. $1.35.

" The writer of this book has given us many vol-
umes of great interest and power, but none eaual to
this last one. It is deep, yet clear. He takes us
into the philosophical realm, but, unlike many writers
on these themes, he does not mystify his readers." —
Baltimore Methodirt.

Xiving be tbe Spirit.

Oblong 32mo. $ .75
" Mr. Dresser is well known by his other and
larger books, but to our mind this little essa^ is the
most valuable thing his pen has done, for it is not
argumentative or didactic, but human and helpful." —
Portland Transcript.

0. p. PUTNAM'S SONS

New York and London

/ \': if

/ ^

■ y
•>

3 tlOS 0214 32M MQ7

G y"^

STANFORD UNIVERSITY LIBRARII
CECIL H. GREEN LIBRARY
STANFORD, CALIFORNIA 94305-6
(4151 ^23-1493

All books may be recalled after 7 di

DATE DUE

Internet Archive Audio

Featured

Top

Images

Featured

Top

Software

Featured

Top

Texts

Featured

Top

Video

Featured

Top

Mobile Apps

Browser Extensions

Archive-It Subscription

Save Page Now

Full text of "Living by the Spirit"

See other formats